In the packaging of canned or bottled beverages and products of a similar nature for marketing in retail stores or other consumer supply centers, one type of packaging system which has had a high degree of acceptability by both the consumers and the suppliers has been the multi-unit packaging system wherein a wrap-around blank is folded about the desired number of cans, bottles or similar articles positioned in row formation with terminal end portions of the blank secured so as to form a tightly wrapped package. In the multi-unit packaging systems of this type which have been developed, one of the problems has been how best to obtain a tightly wrapped package so that the product units will be restrained against falling out of the package when it is handled. Many arrangements have been suggested for retaining the product units against accidental disengagement from the wrapper. In most of the systems which have been employed, pockets formed in the blank, in which portions of the product containers are seated, have been relied upon, solely or in part, to retain the product containers in the tubular carton which is formed by wrapping the blank about the assembly of the same. To be fully effective, provision must be made, in such systems, for connecting the terminal ends of the blank while the product enclosing panels are tightly drawn about the assembly. This has proven difficult of solution, particularly when there is a need to satisfy the demand for high speed machine production. Securing the end panels by an adhesive cannot be accomplished with sufficient speed because of the time required for applying or activating and setting the adhesive. The use of an adhesive does not provide a satisfactory securing means for other well recognized reasons. While the employment of wrapper blanks having interlocking securing elements on overlapped end portions of the end panels which can be quickly engaged on automatic machinery so as to obtain a glueless wrapper or carton enables package forming on automatic machinery which is operable at high speeds, generally this type blank has required means in the machine for applying compressive force along one or both sides of the path traversed by the assembly so as to hold the latch bearing panels in position while the latching and locking elements are engaged. Typical packaging systems of this type are shown in my U.S. Pat. No. Re. 26,750, granted Jan. 6, 1970, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,194,476 and No. 3,589,593, granted to A. J. Weiss on July 13, 1965, and June 29, 1971, respectively. The employment of this type package has resulted in the need for relatively expensive machine designs which will provide the tightening forces needed and the mechanism for the manipulation of the locking and latching elements in a manner which will insure that these elements will not separate accidentally during the handling of the packages. Machines for this purpose are disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,085,377, granted Apr. 16, 1963, No. 3,456,420, granted July 22, 1969, and No. 3,474,590, granted Oct. 28, 1969. While these prior systems have formed the basis for successful commercial operations, there is a need for the development of a packaging system for articles of the type described which will employ a simplified blank structure, which will provide a tightly wrapped package and which will enable the package to be formed on high speed packaging machinery of more economical design than currently available.
It is a general object of the present invention to provide a package and a method of forming the same which is particularly adapted for multi-unit packaging of canned or bottled beverages or other products in containers of the same or similar configuration, which is economical of material, which satisfies the requirements for a tightly wrapped package, which will afford a high degree of safety under normal handling, and which lends itself to high speed wrapping operations on automatic machinery of relatively simple and economical design.
It is a more specific object of the invention to provide an improved package and method of forming the same which is adaptable to the packaging of a group of articles, such as, cans or similar containers for beverages, or the like, wherein the articles are arranged in row relation and enclosed in a foldable wrapper blank which is cut and scored so as to permit it to be wrapped, about the top, bottom and sides of the articles, in the form of a tube, and secured in tight relation by folding upon each other relatively narrow terminal panels having associated locking and latching tab members which are engaged in cooperating locking and latching apertures in portions of the adjoining wall forming panels.
It is a still more specific object of the invention to provide a packaging system for multiple unit packaging of beverage cans, or the like, wherein the cans are arranged in row forming relation and enclosed in a tubular carton formed by a tightly wrapped, generally rectangular blank of paperboard or similar foldable sheet material which includes tightening and securing means on the terminal ends in the form of relatively narrow hinged strips of the blank material, which hinged strips are so proportioned relative to the adjoining wall forming panel portions that they may be interleaved and hinged into panel securing position in the plane of the adjoining wall forming panel portions while drawing the adjoining panel portions toward each other to form a tightly wrapped package.
Another object of the invention is to provide a wrapper forming blank and a method of applying the same to an assembly of articles having the general form of beverage containers, so as to enclose the articles therein and form a tubular carton wherein the terminal ends of the blank are in the form of relatively narrow hinged panels which are proportioned and interleaved in reversely folded relation with a free edge portion of one hinged panel positioned in engaging relation with a panel portion adjacent the hinge line of the other hinged panel whereby to form a hinge pivot for drawing the adjoining panel portions toward each other when the hinge panels are folded relative to each other into the plane of the adjoining panel portions and secured thereto so as to form a tightly wrapped package.
A further object of the invention is to provide a wrapper forming blank and a method of applying the same to an assembly of articles, such as beverage containers, so as to enclose the articles in a tubular carton wherein the terminal ends of the blank are in the form of relatively narrow hinged panels which are proportioned so as to draw the adjoining panel portions toward each other when they are reversely folded on each other into interleaved relation in the plane of the adjoining portions so as to form therewith a carton wall and wherein the one hinged panel has associated locking and latching tab members adjacent its opposite edges which are seated in cooperating locking and latching apertures provided in associated wall forming panel portions.
To this end the invention as disclosed and claimed herein comprises a package and a method of forming the same wherein beverage cans or similar articles are enclosed in an open ended carton by wrapping a cut and scored blank about an assembly of the articles and connecting the ends of the blank, with relatively narrow end panel portions of the blank hinging upon each other into interleaved relation between end portions of the adjoining panel portions in a manner which draws the panel portions toward each other so as to result in a tightly wrapped package.
The aforesaid objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent when reference is made to the accompanying detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention which is set forth therein, by way of example, and shown in the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout.